There is a new postmaster in town at Smithville’s USPS post office on Main Street.

James Estrada, who has been employed with the postal service for a total of 22 years, 11 of those years as a letter carrier and now at his current position as a postmaster here in town.

Estrada’s hometown is El Paso, where he attended the University of Texas at El Paso and graduated with a degree in Business Management.

He currently lives in Round Rock and commutes to work every day. As for his family, he has a 14 year old son named Seth who loves to play football and baseball.

Throughout his postal career Estrada has done his fair share of traveling.  He started in San Diego as a letter carrier and moved on to New Mexico, Albuquerque, Denver, Dallas, Leander and now Smithville- He has managed to move his way up from carrier, to manager, to supervisor and now onto the head postmaster.

He transferred here from the Leander Post Office as a supervisor where his primary duties were to manage mail distribution operations of a particular facility, supervise the work of letter carriers and clerks that are assigned to that facility, developed and trained employees while conveying ideas both verbally and in writing with the staff, customers and other members of the community.

As a postmaster Estrada is the head person in charge of the post office and overseas the station and its employees.

“My goal is to provide excellent customer service to the Smithville community,” Estrada said. “If you build a great experience, customers tell each other about that.”

When asked what his favorite part of the job is he said, “I like meeting new people and interacting with the customers.”

Come out and meet your new postmaster, as he is excited to become a part of this community and provide you with a very pleasant post office experience.

First-time butterfly release part of ceremony

By Terry Hagerty, Times Reporter

There’s a valuable saying that the American Cancer Society promotes and it goes like this: “No matter who you are, there’s a place for you at Relay For Life. Each dollar you raise will help save lives. How far will you go to make a difference in the fight against cancer?”

That’s an open invitation – and a friendly challenge – to the public to get directly involved with the 2012 Bastrop/Smithville Relay for Life Friday and Saturday, May 18-19 at Bastrop High School’s Erhard Field, starting at 8 p.m. on Friday.

The annual Relay is an opportunity to not only honor cancer survivors and remember people that have been lost, but also to raise funds and awareness to help save lives through further cancer research.

This year will also mark the first “Wings of Hope” butterfly release, which will take place during the cancer survivor ceremony at 8 p.m. A butterfly in honor of a survivor or a caregiver can be purchased for $5/each and all proceeds will be donated to the Relay For Life of Bastrop/Smithville. Order forms can be obtained by contacting Cheri Ray at 512-718-8745.

And one of the repeat popular events is the lighting of luminarias, shortly after the survivor ceremony.

White luminaria bags are transformed and illuminated after dark at every local Relay For Life event. Each one is personalized with a name, photo, message or drawing by a Relay For Life participant or supporter in memory or honor of a friend or loved one who has been affected by cancer.

It is quite an event to witness as the sun sets. Luminarias, lining the track, illuminate the growing darkness and a quiet falls over the event that had been filled with the sounds of celebration just minutes before. Relay For Life participants, survivors and caregivers then gather together for a ceremony to remember loved ones lost to cancer and to honor those who have battled the disease. Participants walk the track lined with luminara bags in reflection. It is often a very emotional moment in which hugs and tears flow freely.

“A caregiver who has lost a loved one may find comfort from a fellow caregiver who has faced a similar loss,” according to ACS officials. Meanwhile, a survivor can gain hope and strength from others who have taken the same journey and survived.

There are multiple opportunities to donate to the Relay, both before and during the weekend event. Many local groups, including “teams” walking in the event have already been busy raising funds for battling cancer.

For more information on how to get involved with the Bastrop/Smithville Relay for life, see the website: www.relayforlife.org and look for “Bastrop/Smithville.”

The next regular meeting will be on conservation in the community room of First National Bank on Main Street in Smithville on Saturday, May 19 at 9:30 a.m. for refreshments. The meeting begins promptly at 10 a.m. Hostesses will be Jeannie Kennedy and Marjorie Matetzschk.  Debbie Sewart will present her program, “Worm Farming.” The public is welcome to attend.

Jane Pardo (Sue Lane McCulley’s mother-in-law) and Nicole Orr, who are current members of the Smith-McMillan Chapter NSDAR, La Grange, were approved as associate members to Lost Pines Chapter NSDAR.  Judy Grundy introduced Judy Sien, who is attending the Lost Pines Chapter sponsored annual genealogy workshop and working to complete her DAR application with assistance from Registrar Ella Sheffield.

Jeannie Kennedy gave an Indian Minute on the portrait of Sitting Bull. Judy Grundy received several magazines and books from Mary Lucas for the DAR Project Patriot and anticipates mailing out a large box.

Hostesses Fran Godwin and Lucinda Wilcoxen were thanked for their refreshments.

Meetings are open to the public. For more information, call Regent Michelle Kee in Elgin at 512-581-3242 or Vice Regent Sue Lane McCulley in Bastrop at 512-308-9607.

Activities and deadlines include:

APRIL

26^TH- Registration deadline for the Adult Racquetball Tournament

27^TH- Early registration deadline for Challenger Sports British Soccer Camp

MAY

4th – Movie-N-Park at Riverbend Park (free admission-starting around 8:30 p.m.)

5th – Junior High Prom ($5 admission from 8-11p.m.)

10th – Registration deadline for Adult Basketball League

10th – Registration deadline for Memorial Bed Races and Kickball Tournament

19th – Honor Our Heroes Veterans Memorial Park Fundraiser

21st – Registration deadline for Youth Golf Lessons

25th – Early registration deadline for Smithville PARD All-Sport Camp

25th – Pre-registration deadline for the 3rd Annual Disc Golf Tournament

JUNE

5th – Bird Cookie Craft ($5 from 10-11:30 a.m.)

7th – Senior trip to Zilker Botanical Gardens ($25 with lunch included from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.)

8th – Late registration deadline for Smithville PARD All-Sport Camp

8th – Early registration deadline for Little Kickers Soccer

9th – 3rd Annual Disc Golf Tournament

9th – 14th – Late registration for Little Kickers Soccer

11th – 15th – Challenger Sport British Soccer Camp (time dependent on age)

16th – Smithville Swing Golf Tournament

12th – Yarn Bowl Craft ($5 from 10-11:30 a.m.)

18th – 22nd – Smithville PARD All-Sport Camp (7:30 a.m.-12 p.m.)

26th – Gatti Town kid trip ($20 with lunch included from 9 a.m. -4 p.m.)

JULY

3rd – Bug Mobile Craft ($3 from 10-11:30 a.m.)

5th – Senior trip to Duchman Winery ($20 and lunch not included from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.)

10th – Crayon Craft ($5 from 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.)

17th – Sharpie Tie Die T-shirt ($5 and bring your own shirt from 10 a.m. -12 p.m.)

19th – Senior trip to Fredericksburg Main Street for shopping ($20 and lunch not included from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.)

24th – Candle Making craft ($5 from 10-12 p.m.)

31st – IMAX 3D kids trip ($25 with lunch included)

AUGUST

Little Bumpers Youth Volleyball coming soon

You can find registration forms on the website, http://www.ci.smithville.tx.us/PARD.aspx or by visiting the Rec center at 106 Royston St.

Please not all dates, times and activities are subject to change. Please call 237-3282 for more information.

“We’re asking Bastrop County citizens to help meet with us in the huge service bay at Toyota for the grand kick-off,” said Dorothy Skarnulis, chair of KBCB.  “We need people for a whole host of jobs – folks to assist our security personnel in directing parking, for example.  We’ll want others who can sell or collect tickets, assist program speakers and exhibitors, organize recycling and help with clean-up.  There will be no shortage of work to be done.”

The Volunteer Rally will open at 7 p.m. with brief remarks by public officials from Bastrop, Elgin and Smithville, along with the administrative heads of Bluebonnet, Balcones and Toyota.  Afterward, people will be organized into teams led by members of the Expo Core Planning Group.

The third annual Bun Run For the Cure is just around the corner, so get your pink on and be ready for some body burning Saturday, April 28.

This event was created by Smithville native Megan Hancock in 2009 to help raise money to support free breast health education, screenings and treatments in Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson counties.

As a mother of four small children, Hancock feels that she is setting a positive example by giving back to others and even if only one life is positively affected by this race, it is all worth it to her.

“It seems as if everyone I know has been affected by cancer,” Hancock said. “I would have a hard time naming a single person who has not been affected in some way. For a disease so monumental, I wanted to focus on raising money for it, so I chose the Austin affiliate of Susan G. Komen.”

According to Hancock, 100 percent of the money raised benefits the Komen Austin Affiliate that has been working since 1999 to provide financial and emotional support  to those in need.

This event will also help by opening up the conversation gap between young girls and their mothers about self-breast exams and their benefits.

“I’ve had moms call and express their gratitude, and that means the world to me. As we all know, early detection is the key to a good success rate,” Hancock said.

The first year, the Bun Run raised $4,000, the second year, $9,000, and the goal this year is to surpass that amount.

With the money raised from last year’s Bun Run, many Bastrop County residents received free screening mammograms and breast cancer treatments because of this fundraiser.

Last year, there were more than 600 people that participated in the run and approximately 200 spectators cheered them on.

“I have had an overwhelming response from groups and families walking or running in honor of a loved one. Even a few women who are currently fighting or are survivors will be attending the race, and will walk with their families, friends and loved ones,” Hancock said. “Talk about surrounding yourself with support.”

For entertainment this year there will be a live auction of people and services.

The varsity captain and co-captain cheerleaders will be auctioning four hours of babysitting, Mayor Mark Bunte will be auctioning off two tickets to see Cory Morrow, chief of police Rudy Supak and lieutenant Mike Maugere will be auctioning themselves off to do four hours of yard work, among other volunteers.

Something else that is new this year is the Locks of Love donations.

“We have been growing our hair out since last Bun Run to donate and we will be cutting it off on Sunday, April 22,” Hancock said. “So, you’ll see a few of us girls at the Bun Run with a much shorter do.”

It seems like the opposite of last year’s hair donation – when city manager Tex Middleton had his head shaved for the cause.

The run/walk will start and finish at Pocket’s Grille at 205 Fawcett St. in Smithville. The shotgun will fire at 9 a.m. to kick start the Bun Run.

If you are interested in participating, you can register online at http://www.active.com/5k-race/smithville-tx/3rd-annual-bun-run-for-the-cure-2012?cmp=1745 or you can register the day of the race.

The registration fee is $30 for adults and $15 for children under the age of 10. The fee also includes a Bun Run For the Cure T-shirt to be worn during the event.

You have a chance to ride through Alexander’s wondrous world when he reads his recently published short story “The Poisoner,” which was nominated for the 2012 Pushcart Prize. The performance will be at the Arts Cottage, an intimately comfortable venue for this event, on Saturday, April 28 at 7 p.m.

A published poet for decades, Alexander has turned his eye to prose, and is now weaving short stories in in the Southern gothic tradition inspired by William Faulkner, William Gay, Daniel Woodrell and Flannery O’Connor. He calls his unique voice “Texas Gothic,” because that’s where his roots are.

With “The Poisoner,” Alexander tells the story of a 12-year-old girl apprenticed to an alchemist in Mexico in 1820, during the culmination of the Mexican Revolution. The story is captivating on its own, but the author’s voice will certainly give the elixir a fresh stir.

Alexander has led many lives and travelled many paths from a stint in the Navy during the Vietnam era to riding the rails, finally ending up in Key West. There he dove for conch shells to sell to tourists, learned the woodworker’s craft and became a fixture at the literary journal Solares Hill.

After 40 years of readings in coffee houses, bars and universities, his appearances are now performance art.

“It’s always going on up here,” Alexander says, pointing to his head. “I go over the dialog in my mind. I talk to myself, out loud, when I write.”

Alexander quotes the famous American author and humorist Mark Twain when talking about how he works on the details of his stories.

“Twain said the difference between good writing and great writing was the difference between the lightening bug and lightening,” Alexander explained. “I want to touch the lightening.”

Alexander’s recently published fiction can be found at Black Lantern Publishing, (blacklanternpublishing.com), Lady Ink Magazine (ladyinkmagazine.com), 34^th Parallel (34thparalle.net) and his recent poetry can be found in the Chaffey Review (chaffeyreview.org) and The Mas Tequila (.

The author will be joined by his daughter, Jessica, of Peachie Pastries, who will be providing delicious cupcakes for the performance.

Artist Andis Applewhite’s serigraphs will be displayed at the Arts Cottage through the evening of April 28. The artist showed her unique and powerful abstracts last year, drawing rave reviews. She will be available to discuss her art before and after the show. For more information on her art, visit www.andisapplewhite.com.

The next webinar, “Managing Your Remarkable Riparian Areas,” will be Thursday, April 19. The webinar will be presented by Sky Jones-Lewey, the Nueces River Authority’s Resource Protection and Education director. Healthy, functioning, riparian areas keep streams clean and sustain their flow, but they are often underappreciated and their function is not widely understood. This webinar is aimed at bringing that information to landowners and other decision makers with the goal of helping people interact with each other and manage riparian resources based on shared knowledge. Topics covered will include an introduction to riparian function, riparian hydrology and geology, and the role of riparian vegetation.

One hour of Integrated Pest Management CEU credit for pesticide applicator’s license will be awarded to participants of the live webinar.

How to sign on

On the day of the webinar, simply point your browser to https://texas-wildlife.webex.com and click to join the Wildlife for Lunch webinar. Each web-based seminar is fully interactive and allows you to engage the experts, make comments and ask questions during the course of the presentation.

Each webinar is archived and available for viewing following the initial air date at the Texas Wildlife Association website: www.texas-wildlife.org (Please note – you must attend the live webinar for attendance or CEU credit.)

For more information, contact Texas Wildlife Association’s Courtney Brittain at cbrittain@texas-wildlife.org or 1-800-839-9453.

“Our open house is an important way for us to thank the community for its ongoing support and to provide an update on the important work that we do here,” said Christian Abee, D.V.M., director of the Keeling Center and chair of MD Anderson’s Department of Veterinary Sciences. “This has been an exciting year, we are growing and we need to build on our strong ties in the Central Texas community.”

Visitors are invited to take a walking tour. Abbreviated bus tours will be available. Research exhibits, demonstrations and an interactive lab for school-age students also will be featured.

The tours will include the recently-completed Comparative Medicine Research Building, a $52-million, 73,000-square-foot building that serves as the central hub of the 381-acre campus. Tours will also include the pathology and research laboratories and rhesus monkey, chimpanzee, squirrel monkey and owl monkey colonies.

Registration begins at 3 p.m. The Keeling Center is located at 650 Cool Water Dr., off Highway 95 between Farm-to-Market Road 2336 and Pershing Blvd.

No video or still photography will be permitted.

The Keeling Center houses approximately 2,000 animals of 12 species including chimpanzees, rhesus monkeys, squirrel monkeys, owl monkeys, sheep, cattle, swine, goats and rodents all used in biomedical research to improve understanding of cancer and other diseases that impact human health. More than 100 employees, including veterinarians, animal caregivers, research technicians and administrative staff care for animals at the Keeling Center. The center also offers training opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and veterinary medical students from several universities, including The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University.

Animals contribute to research into improved prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer as well as investigations in hepatitis, HIV, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, vaccine development, cellular immunology, aging and behavior. Since the facility opened in 1975, it has supported the research of 21 MD Anderson departments and 29 other institutions and agencies. Research at the Keeling Center also contributes to the enhanced health and welfare of laboratory and companion animals.

The presentation, sponsored by the Smithville Garden Club, tells how the ranch changed after the juniper removal and long absent streams came back to life and now produce an average of three gallons per minute in a normal year.

Gardner will tell how wildlife became abundant and diverse and grazing for stock dramatically increased along with the native deer population. The presentation will provide lessons applicable to all levels of land stewardship from a small garden to a 5,000 acre ranch.

The event is free to the public. For more information on Bamberger Ranch, visit bambergerranch.org.